Immortal Guardian
by claw06
Summary: Following the war with Valentine, Alec is banished from the Clave. Shattered by the betrayal and the heartbreak of his break-up with Magnus he runs away and along the way, sheds the name Alec to take up a new one; Skull De Mort.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Following the war with Valentine, Alec is banished from the Clave. Shattered by the betrayal and the heartbreak of his break-up with Magnus he runs away and along the way, sheds the name Alec to take up a new one; Skull De Mort.**

**Pairing: Malec, Sizzy, Clace**

**Tags: Minor Clary Bashing possibly; Canon Typical Violence; X-over; Spoilers; Alternate Universe; OOC!ness; More to be added**

**Chapter One**

In the end, he'd expected it.

He could see it in the way his fellow shadowhunters' gazes lingered on him, disgust and ire always visible.

In the disgruntled whispers they thought he couldn't hear.

In his mother's power hungry eyes and false platitudes and his father's ever-present arrogance.

In Lady Herondale's superior smirk.

He'd seen it, had felt it in the very marrow of his bones and he'd prepared for it as much as possible, hiding away money when he could and discreetly packing it away with some clothing and necessities he kept hidden beneath his bed.

Yet, it didn't make it any less painful.

Blue eyes gazed listlessly at the assembly before them, taking in the stoic expressions and disgusted sneers.

He wouldn't let them see his pain, to see the tears building behind his mask of impassiveness.

He couldn't.

Especially when his parents, the people that were supposed to love him _unconditionally_ were amongst them.

"Alexander Lightwood. You have been charged with treason, heresy, and homosexuality due to your escapades with the Warlock Magnus Bane as well as downworlders in general. How do you plead?" Lady Herondale asked and he stared at her.

"Does it matter?" He asked softly and she frowned.

"Excuse me?"

"Does it matter what I plead? We all know the verdict. This trial is merely a farce so that you can tell everyone you gave me a fair chance. Yet I have no representation, no one to speak on my behalf and, most importantly, your prejudices to take into account. Please convict me and be done with it." He replied and she eyed him for a long moment.

"Very well, Mr. Lightwood." Her cold gaze softened. "You have served us honorably for over a decade and while you dalliance with downworlders is a mar against you, you fought valiantly in the war against Valentine, even when your family and those you care for would not. Due to this, we have levied your sentence."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Levied?"

"Indeed. You will not be DeRuned as your crimes would normally call for. Instead you will be banished from the clave, runes in tact. Consider it our boon for your service in light of your crimes. Your banishment will be reconsidered in twenty years time, as is customary. You have until sunset to leave the premises. Dismissed."

He stared at her wide-eyed, then nodded and fled to room.

When he arrived in his bedroom he grabbed his bag and his bow, his heart screaming as he left behind the only place he'd even known.

Steeling his nerves, he made his way to his sister's bedroom and knocked.

She answered quickly, blinking as she saw his bag. "Long mission?"

He shook his head. "Banishment."

Her eyes widened, flashing furiously. "What?! Why?!"

"Homosexuality, Treason, and heresy. So mainly, my relationship with Magnus."

Tears welled in her eyes. "But you aren't together anymore." She argued and his heart ached at the reminder.

"I know."

"Where will you go?"

He looked away.

His original plan had been to go to Magnus, but...his warlock wanted nothing to do with him. Their last few exchanges had been cold, impassive, and his heart broke a little more every time they were in the same room.

There was no way Magnus would help him. Not with this…

And he wasn't sure he wanted him to because he knew he would blame himself.

It was a trait they shared.

Izzy seemed to get the message, because she nodded and kissed him on the cheek, hugging him tighter than she had since they were kids.

"Are you gonna say goodbye to Jace and Clary?"

"No. They're not here."

She nodded once more, eyes wet.

"Be safe, Big Brother. Stay in touch."

"I will."

Heart heavy, he walked away from her, knowing it would be decades before he saw her again.

He walked away and forced himself not to look back.

It was the hardest thing he'd ever done.

***/***

He leaves New York with $6,000, his bow and arrows, stele, and a duffle of clothes.

It leaves him feeling hollow.

At night he dreams of strong arms and glitter.

The hollowness grows.

***/***

Three days into his banishment, he finds himself in Rhode Island and happens across a shadowhunter fighting three demons, alone.

The kid is a rookie, only fourteen or so and losing horribly.

Blood soaks her skin, and she's dead on her feet, the demons attacking her viciously and without fail.

As one goes for a fatal blow, he feels something warm spreading throughout his body because, _he isn't gonna make it in time!_

A flare of purple surrounds him, interspersed with a gentle orange and it as if time had slowed down.

He's suddenly in front of her, demon blade cutting through his arm as his body shielded hers.

Together, they defeat the demons, before she passed out unceremoniously.

He caught her, loosening his grasp on the warmth that had overtaken him, and the flames flicker away as if they'd never existed.

It leaves him befuddled and as soon as the girl is safe within her own institute, he goes and researches it at a local shadow world store owned by a vampire.

Soul Flames or Dying Will Flames.

The ability to manifest one's will in physical form and use it to one's own means.

His are amber and purple. The sky and clouds.

A leader and a drifter, forever on the fringes of society.

He snorted.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Later that night, he checks into his hotel room, and when he catches his reflection in the vanity mirror, it freezes him.

Violet eyes stare back at him in the place of blue, a shock of vivid hair the same color in the place of his normal black.

The colors are bright, and they remind him of Magnus.

He loves them.

Besides, they give him an idea.

When he leaves the hotel, his name is no longer Alec.

His name is Morteo.

Death.

The death of Alexander Lightwood, the Clave's perfect soldier.

He imagines the laugh it would've drawn from Magnus and pretends his heart doesn't break all over again.

***/***

He joins the circus on an impulse.

It had been three months since he'd been banished and his money had started to run low, so he'd tried to search for a job in the mundane world. However, having no mundane documents, he had found it difficult.

Or at least he had until he'd happened upon a man talking about auditions for a new stuntman.

He didn't know what had made him sign up, probably curiosity, but once he'd mounted the bike and taken off, it became as easy as breathing.

Flips, spins, all of it came to him naturally and he felt a wild grin split his face at the freedom it left racing in his veins.

Afterwards, the man hosting the auditions had smiled at him, awe clear in his gaze.

"How long you been driving bikes, Kid?"

He'd shrugged. "This was my first time."

The man's jaw dropped then an unholy grin crossed his lips and he'd held out his hand.

"Welcome Aboard, Kid. You got a name."

"Skull." He decided after a moment. "Skull de Mort."

"Nice ta meetcha, Skull. The name's Lorenzo Ciccaro.

*/*

He crafts 'Skull's' personality after Magnus.

Its ridiculous, and it makes no sense to anyone, especially himself, and yet he throws himself into the act.

He's melodramatic and exuberant, the exact opposite of himself, and it works to help him shove away the pain that he still feels for being rejected for who he is.

Only Lorenzo has met him without his mask but the man only smiles whenever the facade is in full effect.

When asked why, he tells him that everyone copes in different ways and that he had no right to question how he did.

About three weeks in, he discovers that he's immortal.

He'd been doing a stunt and it went wrong, his bike crashing and bursting into flames.

He was perfectly fine as he exited the vehicle, his suit in tatters and a vivid grin on his lips as adrenaline pumped through his veins.

It earns him a new name.

The immortal stuntman; the man death hates.

The irony makes him laugh so hard that he cries because one of the reasons Magnus had left him was to protect himself from being left behind when Alec died.

Now, that is no longer a problem, but Al- _Skull _is the one all alone.

***/***

The letter finds him on the anniversary of his second year at the circus.

They're in Italy, their last show there, and he'd entered his dressing room to find the letter waiting for him on the vanity.

_"I Prescelti Sette"_

_Skull De Mort_

He only thinks about it for a few moments, then he consults Lorenzo, who urges him to go, knowing he'd been itching to travel more for a while.

"_You were never meant to be caged to one place, Kid. Go check it out for a while. There'll always be a place for you here."_

He does as the man says.

He doesn't regret it.

Even after he's led into a trap and turned into a toddler.

The others of the group, the arcobaleno, are too easy to fool and its almost amusing that they think he's the weakest amongst them.

He does nothing to discourage this idea.

He doesn't regret that either.

Or at least he hadn't...until now…

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Twenty two years.

Isabelle sighed softly as she leaned against the railing within her institute and watched her newest shadowhunters train.

Twenty two years had passed since her elder brother's banishment and subsequent disappearance, and she couldn't help wondering about him.

The clave had sent out missives for him two years ago, on the twentieth anniversary of his 'sentence', calling for a hearing that would reconsider his banishment, but they'd all been returned unopened.

Not to mention, he'd gone to ground only months after leaving the institute, the only hint of his appearance coming in the form of a young shadowhunter who claimed to have been saved by him during a hunt. The girl had appeared at their institute a week after Alec's banishment and had asked if she could thank him for saving her. She'd been extremely disheartened to learn of his exile but had decided to stay so that she could thank him if he returned.

She'd even taken up a bow in his honor.

Izzy snorted, imagining how flustered her stiff brother would've been at the girl's hero worship.

Her gaze drifted over to the warlock beside her.

She'd torn Magnus a new one the night Alec left, furious that even after everything that her brother had given up just to be with him, the man had broken his heart. He'd taken it with an impassive expression right up until she informed him of Alec's exile. The news had struck him hard, shattering the calm facade he'd been wearing since her arrival.

After learning that Alec was gone, he'd thrown himself into fixing downworlder and shadowhunter relations and now, over two decades later, there was finally peace amongst them.

Downworlders and shadowhunters were allowed to love who they pleased, no matter gender or species.

She only wished Alec could see it.

"Thinking of him again?" Her friend called, and she nodded.

"He would've loved this."

Magnus nodded, his dark eyes softening. "Yes, he would have. We talked about it, you know. A few weeks before-" He cut himself off with a shake of his head, glancing over her shoulder as Jace walked over to them.

Her adopted brother had also changed alot since Alec's disappearance. He was quieter, the loss of his parabatai causing him to withdraw from anyone that wasn't family. Then there was the incident, almost twenty years ago.

"_Alec!" Izzy jolted awake as a hoarse scream of despair sounded from the room across from hers, her mind dimly registering the sound as Jace._

"_Alec, no! __**No!**__"_

_She rushed to her brother's room, pushing a frantic Clary aside before she gasped._

_Jace's parabatai rune was glowing a bright purple, ringed in orange._

_The color flared, once, then twice, before dimming and the screaming blond began to calm, each breath steadier than the last._

_When he was completely calm, he looked up at her, blue-green eyes full of pain._

"_They hurt him."_

"_Who?"_

_He shook his head. "I don't know. He's not in pain anymore. Just angry...and resigned."_

_She shuddered, pain lancing through her heart at the thought of what her elder brother might be going through._

_All the same she stood. "Get some rest."_

_He nodded and fell asleep and she left the room hoping that their coming hunt for Alec would be successful._

_It wasn't._

Since then, Jace had been searching tirelessly for his missing parabatai, often returning empty handed.

They'd even tried to track him with the parabatai runes, only to be blocked by what seemed to be a wall of violet and amber flames.

It was aggravating, but they knew he was alive so they couldn't complain too much.

Still they could only hope he would return home on day.

Jace nudged her, breaking her from her thoughts. "Hey, mom and Dad are requesting us in Japan. They are going to be meeting with the Japanese Institute in Namimori, and the elders are sending us as well as Magnus as envoys since our alliance is the most successful."

Magnus frowned. "How long will we be gone?"

"A week. Two at the most. Mom and Dad are meeting us there."

The warlock nodded and turned to leave, a shiver of...something racing its way down his spine. Something told him that this visit would be one that changed his life.

The curse was broken.

A tiny smile crossed dark purple lips as the stared down at the calloused hands in front of them. They were still much younger than they had any right to be, looking as if they belonged to a man of twenty or twenty five that a forty five year old, but they were no longer the tiny hands of a toddler and for that he was completely grateful.

After twenty years as a toddler, he'd take this over everything. It wasn't like he would age any further anyways.

He turned to the child had made it all possible, and bowed deeply in gratitude, surprising his other arcobaleno.

"Thank you, Tsunayoshi-san."

Fon followed his example, causing the boy to flush vividly.

"N-No problem?" He stammered and Skull chuckled, reminded of the younger brother he'd left behind so long ago.

Straightening from his bow, he forced his facade back into place, trying to ignore the pang his heart gave at the thought.

Max had been twelve when he'd last seen him, only months away from getting his rune. He'd be thirty four now, runed and active. Oodako nudged him to draw him from his darkening thoughts and he held the little octopus closer.

"We should celebrate, kora!" Colonello cried out and he yelled in agreement, trying his hardest to keep in character.

He'd been playing his part for over two decades, no need to break character now.

"The Great Skull-sama agrees! We should have a party!"

Everyone nodded and the little Decimo beamed at them. "We could have it at the park. There's one a few ways away that con hold us all. This way, Kaa-san can get out for a while and enjoy the sunlight."

With everyone in agreement, they headed to the Sawada home to gather the others and some food.

The arrived at the park only an hour later, the former arcobaleno reveling in the fact that they had their original adult bodies back.

The celebration lasted well into the evening and as they all fell asleep under the stars, he felt warmer inside than he had in years. So, of course it stood to garner that it would all come crashing down the next morning.

Magnus sighed as he slipped away from the Namimori Institute, into the cool morning air.

They'd arrived just in time for the meeting with the head of it, a young woman by the name of Hibari Hisoka.

She was stern with cold steel eyes and a voice that could cut diamonds, but she was efficient and they'd finished the meeting and the new proposals in short order, before being asked to stay a few days to observe the institute. They'd agreed eager to see the differences between their home and hers, but he couldn't help but think that a certain raven haired shadowhunter would've down a better job. His love had had a presence that commanded respect for all that he was shy, and while Isabelle had a similar aura, hers wasn't as strong. People tended to look at her differently due to her gender and rather subtle manipulation techniques whereas her brother was a bit more blunt.

Still, she was an amazing leader. One he would gladly continue to follow...at least until he found his shadow hunter.

He smiled slightly.

He had once entertained the idea of bringing his Alexander to JApan, the younger man's fascination with the cultures of the world one of the many facets of his personality he hid behind his snark, but after everything, they'd never gotten a chance. He wondered about his reaction, how those sky blue hues would light up in awe and excitement. It all left him feeling both warm and bereft at the same time.

He'd loved Alexander. Had even entertained thoughts of a long-term relationship but the war as well as thoughts of his father had impressed upon him just how brief human life-spans truly were and he knew that losing the nephilim would've broken what was left of his heart.

So he'd let him go.

And in doing so, had still doomed him because he'd been forced out of the only life he'd know into the mundane world. A world he was woefully unprepared for, for all of his brilliance.

A world where he'd vanished.

Where Magnus had still lost him.

It was agonizing.

Approaching the park Lady Hibari had informed them of the day before, he froze jerking himself out of his thoughts.

A group of people, seventeen people strong, were in varying stages of awakening, remnants of a picnic of some sort spread around them.

They froze upon seeing him.

Three guns came up at him while most of the others moved into fighting stances around an innocent looking woman and three children.

Only two didn't move to fight him, a fluffy haired child with bright amber eyes and a violet haired man with his back turned away from him as he continued to pick up the trash around them.

"Who the hell are you, Kora?!" The blond pointing a rifle at him yelled and the inattentive man behind him turned in curiosity.

Magnus' heart stilled in his chest.

Violet hair in the place of raven black, amethyst in the place of sky blue eyes, pale pink lips painted a deep dark purple, there was no mistaking the person in front of him.

He hadn't aged a day, his runes hidden under a skin tight stunt suit that left little to the imagination.

But he was here.

Alive, and still devastatingly beautiful.

The warlock stepped forward, disregarding the hostility of the rest of the group. The object of his attentions faltered back a step confirming his observations.

"Alexander?"

**TBC...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"_Alexander?"_

He had dreaded and longed for this moment for over two decades, his warlock never far from his thoughts but-

But he'd never expected it would actually happen.

Nor did he expect it to hurt so much.

He looked almost exactly the same, glamoured dark eyes lined in silver glitter, and an extravagant silver and blue shirt over skin tight black slacks. His hair was spiked up and tipped in silver as well, his neck draped with numerous necklaces.

He was gorgeous.

He was staring directly at him, eyes wide and longing and it _hurt_.

He'd loved Magnus, more than he'd ever loved anyone, and despite knowing it was his own fault, he'd never truly gotten over the man leaving him. Everything in him had railed against him ever being with another, the mere thought turning his stomach.

And now, he was here.

Magnus was here and he was stepping forward, disregarding the weapons pointed at him.

Alec dropping his facade for once, bolted.

"Alexander!"

He ran faster.

***/***

Reborn was a very possessive man.

It was a well known fact in the mafia that he was possessive over people _and _things he considered his, and the world knew that the arcobaleno were _his_.

_Skull_ was _his._

The younger man had been his lackey since joining the mafia, and while he knew the kid wasn't terribly weak, he _was _ the weakest amongst the arcobaleno and they had no problem treating him as such.

So who was this man to scare off _his _lackey?

This man who knew Skull's real name.

His student stepped forward, amber eyes warm as he addressed the stranger who looked as if he were about to run after the stuntman.

"Excuse me," The man glanced at them. "Who are you?"

Straightening, he smiled wearily at them. "I apologize. My name is Magnus. Magnus Bane. Alexander is an old friend of mine, I haven't seen him in over two decades."

Reborn glared at him. "Then why is the Lackey running from you?"

Magnus looked offended by his words. "L-lackey?! Of all the things-" He glared at the hitman, who could've sworn his eyes flashed for a moment. Before they could continue, someone called out Magnus' name.

They turned as a group, to find four others approaching them.

Two women, one brunette, the other a redhead, and two men, one a blonde and one a brunette.

They paused as they saw the weapons pointed at the man, shifting into fighting stances.

"Everything alright here?" The blonde asked tensely, blue eyes cold and Magnus smiled tersely.

"I found Alexander." The newcomers turned to him. "Where is he?"

"He...he ran from me."

Tsuna cut off there response. "Would you all like to join us for breakfast? Perhaps you can speak to Skull there."

One of the women, the brunette, frowned. "Skull?"

"Alexander."

"Dame-Tsuna," Reborn growled but his student shook his head and tapped his temple lightly.

Of course, that damned intuition.

He sighed and signalled for everyone to drop their weapons. Dialing a number on his phone, he scowled.

"Lackey, get here."

There was a bit of hesitation on the other end of the line. "Hai, senpai."

He waited with a scowl on his face, dark eyes glaring death at the newcomers. The sound of a motorcycle broke the silence between their groups and his heart clenched when he saw that his lackey was wearing his helmet.

The helmet that had been his security blanket when they'd met. He, like the other arcobaleno knew that the helmet was their youngest way of hiding himself, protecting himself by making sure that no one could see his expressions and hurt him. His disapproval of the strangers grew stronger.

Or it did until Skull jumped off of his bike and tackled the brunette woman to the ground.

"Izzy." She stiffened, then smiled brightly, her eyes wet.

"Hey, Big bro."He hugged her tighter and Reborn could see his lackey's body trembling.

The blonde man hauled them to their feet and pulled them both into a hug.

"Parabatai." His hands went to Skull's helmet and to everyone's surprise, he didn't resist it when it was pulled away from him. A gentle hand tugged his lip chain, then traced his tattoo, ending one his bright violet hair.

"Purple hair _and_ eyes. Mom is gonna flip."

Skull chuckled. "Probably. Especially when she learns its natural now."

Reborn's patience snapped and he raised his gun. _"Lackey."_

The stuntman stilled and turned. "H-hey Reborn-senpai."

"Who are these people?"

"Remember that one mission in Italia when we were attacked by that really rude nun who tried to eat us?"

All of the arcobaleno nodded.

"Remember how I said there are people that normally take care of those things?"

Another nod.

"These are those people. My sister, Isabelle or Izzy. Her friends Clary and Simon, and my brother Jace. And M-Magnus already introduced himself."

"You haven't aged a day." Magnus whispered and Skull flinched.

"Didn't you know?"

Their eyebrows rose, almost as one. "I am the Immortal Stuntman Skull. The Man Death Hates...unless you're Byakuran."

Reborn rolled his eyes and shot at the cloud who grinned unrepentantly. "Senpai," He protested. "It's true! My flames propagate my cells continuously allowing me to live far longer than anyone here. L-Luce-" -the arcobaleno flinched- "explained it to me before the mission."

"So all those times we thought you barely escaped being killed on missions, you actually were?" Fon asked carefully, but all the arcobaleno could hear the rage in his voice.

Skull chuckled nervously, while his siblings' eyes widened.

"Died?! Alexander Gideon Lightwood!" Izzy snapped and her brother rolled his eyes.

"Hai. I never lied about being immortal, you all just chose not to believe me." He shrugged. "Not like Reborn-senpai shoots blanks. I assumed you all knew. Byakuran was the only one who has ever managed to kill me."

Reborn glared at him, dark eyes gleaming with guilt even as he tried to hide it and from the corner of his eye, he saw Magnus' glamour waver.

"Alexander, I-"

Skull turned to his former lover, lips curling into such a sad smile that all of the arcobaleno stilled.

"So what are you all doing here?"

Fon's nephew stepped forward. "My parents invited them, carnivore. _Hahui_ is the head of the Namimori institute. The entire Lightwood family were invited."

"Fon, you-" His friend smiled enigmatically and bared his wrist the 'Calm' rune stark against his light tan.

The younger Hibari merely glared and he rolled his eyes once more, then turned to Nana.

"Maman, would it be okay if _mi famiglia _come over?"

The woman beamed. "Of course!"

He nodded and turned to leave. "Great! I'm gonna go and do things! See you all later."

"Lackey," Reborn's voice stopped him, cold but strong.

"Hai?"

"Don't run."

He stiffened then continued to walk away heart pounding in his chest.

"Wouldn't do me any good if I did."

**TBC… **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Honestly, this is the second version of this chapter, but I liked it better than the original. If anyone wants to read the original version I will post it in my Idea Dump.**

**Chapter Four**

The panic was kicking in.

Skull fought not to tremble as he flew down the road on his bike, mind flitting through a million thoughts and yet settling on nothing at all.

For _years_ he had dreaded seeing his family, all the while yearning for it more than he yearned for the end of their curse. Up until his banishment, his entire life had been built around protecting the family and the legacy his parents had built so that his siblings would never have to fear being dishonored or mistreated. Everything in him had been honed around it, around their safety and happiness, so much that he'd barely even noticed that he'd placed Magnus in that group until it was too late.

Until the man had torn his heart from his chest and crushed it, sick of the betrayals and the secrets. He'd understood it at the moment, honestly he had, but at the same time it had hurt him in a way that he'd never expected.

As Skull, he'd been _free_ to be whoever he wanted to be and he'd become a melodramatic crybaby who hid his face from the world rather than face it. Hw whined and complained, building his mask on variations of his love's own, as well as dramatized renditions of people he'd met since then. He crafted it and honed it so well that many didn't know it was a fake until he'd already slipped past their guard and slit their throat. It was what had made the other arcobaleno realize that he could be dangerous.

Yet he knew that his family, particularly his siblings, would see it all automatically.

The pain, the anger, the betrayal, and loneliness would be laid bare for them all to see and he wasn't ready for that.

Probably never would be.

It made him feel like the coward Colonello and Reborn always accused him of being.

Arriving at the Sawada residence, he parked his bike and for a moment, allowed himself to breathe, resting his head on his handlebars in weary resignation. His arms wrapped themselves around his middle in a sad parody of a hug, memories bombarding him in a torrent of bottled up emotions.

His parents. Their cold condemnation.

"_How dare you embarrass our family that way!" His father roared, glaring at him with a hatred in his gaze that he'd never seen directed at him. "To dare flaunt your dalliance with that creature as war builds on the horizon, despicable!"_

"_Don't call him that! Magnus has done nothing but help us!" He snapped back, feeling his heart break at the genuine disgust in the elder male's voice._

_Why?_

_Why was falling in love with someone who loved him back so _wrong?

_Why didn't they love him like they loved his siblings?_

_Why wasn't he good enough?_

_His mother joined the tirade, her voice soft, but no less painful._

"_You would choose that creature over your own family?"_

"_Mother, I-"_

"_Would you?"_

"_I love him," He whispered brokenly, watching as disgust flashed in both of their gazes. With a bruising grip, she forced him to meet her eyes, the identical pools of blue, cold and dark, with a gleam of pity hidden in their depths._

"_You don't know what love is. That...man will take everything from you."_

She wasn't wrong.

He saw his siblings, their love for him and their admiration of him.

"_Did you really slay you first demon at eleven?"_

_Alec shrugged slightly at his baby brother's question, even as Izzy and Jace both nodded eagerly._

_Max beamed._

"_That's so cool. I can't wait to fight my first demon."_

_Izzy snorted. "Alec would kill it before it ever laid a hand on you."_

_Jace chuckled and Alec flushed slightly. Max just grinned at him, yet they all knew it was the truth._

_Still a flood of warmth filled him as he watched the three of them._

_This. This was his reason for fighting._

Magnus.

_**Magnus**_**.**

Magnus was the first and only person he'd ever dared to let into his heart, even with his former crush on Jace. He'd loved Magnus more than he'd ever loved anyone else, and that love had only grown over the years they'd been apart.

And now, he was here. Just as handsome as he'd been all those years ago.

By the angel, he really wanted to run and every instinct he'd honed over the past two decades screamed at him to do so. Instead, he took a fortifying breath and removed his helmet, unmounting his bike just as everyone else arrived. Slipping back into his showman persona, gestured to the front door grandly.

"After you, Decimo-san!" he greeted and the teen blushed slightly, ducking his head.

"T-Thank you, S-Skull." He replied leading everyone inside.

It was a tight fit, but Nana seemed overjoyed at the amount of guests, automatically flitting away toward the kitchen to get a pot of tea (and an espresso for Reborn.) Once everyone had a refreshment in hand, he found himself face to barrel to Reborn's gun, the hitman's dark eyes stoic as they met his.

Beside him, he saw Jace and Magnus stiffening, and Izzy's whip slowly uncoiling from her wrist. He stilled them with a look, turning back to Reborn to push the gun away.

"What do you know about the Shadow World?"

The hitman scowled. "Lackey, we are the shadow world."

Skull smirked while Fon rolled his eyes, taking over the explanation, "Not quite, Reborn. What Skull is talking about is the things that make mundane myths. Vampires, werewolves, the like."

The sun's scowl deepened. "Fairytales." He deadpanned and Jace snorted, raising an eyebrow when the man turned the weapon on him. Skull's gaze went cold, and for the first time he was able to see a glimmer of the brother he'd lost behind that mask.

His parabatai.

Violet eyes, hard and unyielding, bore into deep onyx, their owner straightening from his slouch to his full towering 6'4, painted lips pursing.

"Reborn." Each of the arcobaleno stilled, their gazes turned toward their youngest as a voice so unlike their lackey's spilled from those lips.

Deeper than they'd ever heard it, a low rumble in his chest. Izzy smirked.

"Done playing now, Alec?"

He didn't respond, never turning his glare from the sun's dark ire-filled eyes, after a moment, the hit man sneered and lowered the gun. "Explain, _Lackey_."

Skull felt his own ire rising, his eyes narrowing dangerously at his...friend. "My name," He snarled, "is Alec Lightwood. And I am _not _your Lackey, Renato."

Jace echoed his expression, glaring at the dark haired man that had insulted his parabatai.

A gasp sounded.

"Ano, Skull?" The cloud turned to the young decimo, who was staring at his hands stunned.

Following his gaze, the cloud froze, then cursed violently in every language he knew, his body tensing with the need to run.

Around his wrists, interspersed with his ever-present violet cloud, were bright orange flames.

**TBC...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Y-you're a sky?"

Skull jerked away as the baby decimo reached for his hand, feeling panic and terror race through his being. He'd managed, for over two decades to hide his sky flames from the world, terrified of being caged to one famiglia or another. He didn't want to lead again, not when all it ever led to was _pain. _

No.

He refused to be forced back into his mold, back into the perfect soldier mold.

No.

No.

_**NO!**_

His flames burned brighter, stronger, lips curled into a vicious snarl as he felt the beginnings of a cloud rage beginning to over take him. Distantly, he heard Reborn curse and yell for the child to get back, but the little decimo was stubborn, his gaze still warm.

"Sh, its okay, Skull. No one wants to cage you. You're fine. Everything is fine."

Lies.

All they'd ever wanted to was cage him, lock him into the role they'd set for him.

He wouldn't go back to that!

He was free!

"Sh," The younger sky cooed, his gaze still gentle but his presence was commanding, comforting. "No one will force you back. We won't let them. You're safe."

Safe…

He...was...safe.

Protect-

They would protect him.

Caracassa.

Odako.

Colonello.

Lal.

Mammon.

Verde.

**Reborn.**

He was safe.

He was-

Darkness crept in on him, and he looked into that inviting gaze, seeing the promise, the steel, as oblivion dragged him under.

Safe.

Secure, he felt the last vestiges of rage leave him and allowed himself to fall. As he slipped away, he felt strong arms catch him.

Yes, they would protect him.

***/***

He'd known something was wrong as soon as the man in the fedora had pointed his gun at Jace.

After all, no matter who he was, what mask he hid behind, there was no part of Alexander that would stand for a threat against his family, especially his parabatai.

He'd watched the shock that overcame the group his former lover had surrounded himself with as he'd snapped at the man, watched as purple flames sparked at the finger-tips of his nephilim, bright orange intertwined with them.

Magic.

Or so he'd thought, until the young fluffy haired child had drawn Alexander's attention to the flames.

Until those violet eyes had filled with unrestrained panic and rage, their owner snarling as if caged by something only he could see.

The gun-wielding mundane had yelled at the child, as if Alexander would attack the boy, but the child had only talked to him, whispering words that made Magnus' heart ache.

_No one will send you back._

_You're safe._

Each statement had soothed that rage, that panic and then the flames were gone, Alec falling forward into the arms of the braided man, Fon, unconscious.

"What just happened?" Izzy asked, her voice wavering and the boy, the one Alec had called Decimo (tenth, what?), turned to her, his kind expression hardening into something so much older than it had any right to be.

"I understand that Skull's...absence has been tough on all of you. However, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down. Reborn," He turned to the fedora man, who raised an eyebrow, "You antagonising Skull's family isn't helping."

'Reborn' narrowed his gaze at the teen, who stared back evenly. Then, with a glint of pride in his eyes, he nodded.

Returning the gesture with one of his own, he turned to Fon, who pulled Alexander's limp form closer.

"The Shadow world consists of all the things that would be considered fairytales by normal humans. Skull, and myself, are part of a race called Nephilim. Humans with angel blood. While Bane-san, I believe, is a warlock. A child born of the union between the Fallen and a human woman."

Magnus nodded, his brow rising at the lack of the use of the word Demon by the younger man. The teen nodded, then frowned at them.

"And Skull? You said it's been over twenty two years since you'd seen him?"

Jace pursed his lips. "He was exiled. Treason, heresy, and homosexuality." His eyes flashed with the barely restrained rage that he'd been holding back since Izzy had broken the news to them all those years ago. "They barely gave him a chance to say goodbye to us."

Reborn scowled. "Homosexuality isn't a crime." He sneered and Isabelle nodded in agreement, but it was Magnus who responded.

"At the time, Nephilim were not producing as many children with active angel blood as they had in the past. The Clave outlawed any relationship that didn't have the potential to result in heirs. As the heir to his family, Alexander was tasked with carrying on his family name. Add in the fact that nephilim were not allowed to have serious relations with non-nephilim and you have Alexander's resulting exile."

Decimo's eyes widened in horror as did those of the majority of Alexander's new friends.

"They caged him." The child whispered in horror and Reborn bared his teeth in anger.

Clary frowned. "Caged? Alec wasn't caged."

Fon pursed his lips, his previous calm visibly shaken as he laid the unconscious man in his arms down on the sofa. To Magnus' surprise, his former lover, who had always been a light sleeper, didn't so much as stir.

"To you, Skull wasn't caged. But by restricting his freedom to love, placing that amount of responsibility on one so young, the Clave essentially trapped him." His brow furrowed. "However, If Skull is truly Alexander Lightwood, that begs the question, why he looked so young when we met him. To my knowledge, the eldest Lightwood was in his mid twenties, yet Skull looked to be 20 or 21 at the most."

Magnus frowned, but it was Alexander himself that answered, sitting up on the sofa. No one had even seen him wake.

"It's the same reason I'm still alive. My cells are continuously propagating, and have been since I awakened my flames. I haven't aged since the day they've awakened."

Reborn moved to the younger man's side, his hands glowing bright yellow in a fashion similar to Alexander's. It was only the vague annoyance in Alec's eyes that kept Magnus from using his magic to shield his former lover. Instead, he watched the younger push reborn away.

"I'm fine."

Jace snorted.

Isabelle rolled her eyes.

The Arcobaleno sighed.

But it was the fedora-wearing man who voiced their thoughts. "Shut up, Lackey."

Alec heaved a put upon sigh. "I just said my cells propagate continuously, and I wasn't injured. I'm. Fine."

"Alexander-"

His love flinched subtly, and Magnus could see Reborn's hackles rising, something possessive and protective in the dark-haired man's onyx eyes. Almost hesitantly, Alec looked up at him, apprehension and longing in his eyes as well as a deep pain he tried to keep hidden.

Before he could continue what he was going to say, his phone rang. He bit back a sigh of annoyance, knowing who it was without looking. After all, they'd been supposed to return over an hour ago.

"Maryse." He greeted calmly and Alec paled, curling in on himself more.

"_Magnus," _She replied, something desperate and frantic hidden in her voice. _"I haven't been able to find Isabelle or Jace, and neither is answering their phone. Please tell me they're with you. Max has been losing it since he woke up and to find them gone."_

His heart clenched. She hadn't taken Alexander's banishment well, especially since her and Robert had divorced shortly after. In the time he'd been gone, she'd come a long way from the woman she had been, and had even confided in him that she regretted losing Alec more than anything. That she regretted allowing him to be exiled.

"They're here. We ran into ...an old friend of mine and got caught up."

He could almost see her visibly calming herself at the words. _ "I see. Well, Lady Hibari has established a meeting with the downworlder leaders here and she wants us all present for it. It begins in an hour. Being a member of the original council she would like to garner some input on the differences between our council and theirs."_

Nodding the warlock glanced over to find Alexander watching them, even as Reborn spoke to him, and he made a snap decision.

"Would a friend of mine be allowed to attend as well?"

"_Of course."_

"We'll be there. See you in an hour."

Closing the phone he turned back to the group in front of him. "Perhaps we can all meet another time. I would love to learn more about your- flames. However, we," He gestured to his shadowhunters and Simon, "have a meeting in an hour."

Reborn glanced at his watch then smirked. "Actually, so does Dame-tsuna." Decimo blinked in confusion.

"Nono said he'd wouldn't be here until noon, its only- 11:49! HIEEEEE!" He shrieked racing upstairs with quick goodbye. The rest of his group shared similarly panicked glances and raced from the room while Alexander blinked rapidly and glanced at his own watch then at Reborn.

"Senpai."

"Yes, Lackey?"

"It's only 11:15."

The man smirked, whacking the younger man with his gun- where did he keep getting the damn thing? Alec didn't even flinch, just pouted slightly.

Somehow, Magnus could tell that his Alexander had changed alot since they'd last been together. And, as he extended the invitation to his love to attend the meeting at the institute, one that the younger then extended to Reborn and Fon, and a few others that had yet to be named, he found himself wanting to learn them all. Learn what had changed and what had stayed the same.

But first.

First he had to figure out how to talk to his love alone.

**TBC...**


End file.
